


oh my god, i think i like you

by Eyesofdoe



Series: m.a.d. verse [3]
Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: A little pining, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friends With Benefits, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, One-Sided Attraction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 16:43:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17287721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eyesofdoe/pseuds/Eyesofdoe
Summary: Richie’s realization that he likes Eddie is not romantic, or beautiful, or even something he ever wants to share with any human being in the world.





	oh my god, i think i like you

**Author's Note:**

> SO! there are spoilers here for crazy ex-girlfriend, but for season 1. just a warning to anyone who's watching/planning on watching the show.  
> the song mentioned here is "oh my god i think i like you" and it can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGtb-gZcLak  
> also, if you haven't read mutually assured destruction, this is set in a verse where richie and eddie are fwb & they're really fighting liking each other and are kind of the worst.

Richie’s realization that he likes Eddie is not romantic, or beautiful, or even something he ever wants to share with any human being in the world. It’s at the hands of Bill Denbrough in the middle of an awkward group hang where he’s forced to share the details of their relationship, like so many other sexual encounters he’s had in his life.

The difference here is that he doesn’t want to spill the dirty details. He doesn’t want to talk about the way Eddie’s nails rake down his back when he comes, or how Richie likes when his hair hangs around Eddie’s face, sealing them away in their own little world, or how Eddie takes huffy little breaths when he’s riding him.

Richie’s, generally, an open book. But watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, surrounded by the music department and crammed into a blanket fort on the floor of Bill’s room is not his ideal confessional. He’s fucked at least three people in this room, and he’s sure they don’t want to know either. 

Bill loses his ability to keep secrets when he’s high. Bill, in general, is a good friend. When he’s not trying to one up Richie or scam on his girlfriends, he’s probably Richie’s favorite person in the world. But when he’s downed a couple of the percussionists’ weed brownies, he’s hopeless. And he’s willing to say just about anything for a laugh.

And they’re having a grand old time, trying to laugh through some admittedly awkward sex scenes when you’re watching with a big group of friends. And as Rebecca realizes her feelings for Greg on-screen, Richie’s already feeling a little antsy about the...relatability of this song. He’s been the one lingering, lately, when Eddie hops out of bed ready to move on with his day. He’s been the one texting Eddie jokes, trying to make him laugh in class and suggesting more tutoring sessions for music appreciation so they’ll spend more time together and not naked.

_ No, no, no, this is just about sex. And no, no, no, don’t be such a girl Becks. _

“Richie, why is this literally you?” Bill snorts.

“Shut the fuck up.” Richie huffs, but it’s already caught the attention of  _ several  _ people watching.

“What are you hiding, Richie?” A sax player, Richie thinks is named Jason, asks.

“Richie’s totally in love with his fuckbuddy.” Bill says, answering on behalf of Richie.

“Who?” 

“Eddie Ka-” Bill gets out before Richie’s tackling him to the floor, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend be damned. He shoves a hand over his mouth.

“None of anyone’s business, is what Bill meant to say. And we’re not fuckbuddies. We just hook up sometimes.”

“So...fuckbuddies?” Bill snorts.

“I looked up Eddie on Insta and Richie only follows one.” A flute girl (Tara?) says, waving her phone around. “He’s cute.”

Richie had teased Eddie about his Instagram being private, and it had apparently hit a nerve, because now his pictures are out there for the world to see. Conveniently at the worst time in Richie’s life, ever.

Tara slides her phone towards Richie, pulled up on one of the only pictures of him and Eddie together. Stan took it, he thinks, during one of their movie nights. Richie had fallen asleep with his head in Eddie’s lap, legs stretched out on the floor. Eddie’s flashing a peace sign with his face buried in his phone, vaguely aware that Stan is taking a picture. HIs freckles are illuminated by the glow of his phone screen. Richie’s glasses are knocked sideways, dangling off his face. One of Eddie’s hands is tangled in his hair, mid-pet, and Richie thinks he sees the smallest hint of a smile.

“ _ big roommate energy”  _ the caption reads, along with a sleepy emoji. 

Richie’s heartbeat shifts into overdrive, and he realizes how much they look like a couple. How good they would look as a couple.

_ Oh my God, I think I like you.  _

“This is too cute.” Tara says. “You’re roommates?”

“This conversation can not leave this room.” Richie says instead of answering. “I’m so serious.”

“Oh my God, they were roommates.” Jason laughs. “Do you get that a lot?”

“No.” Richie says flatly, even though he’s heard it from Bill too many times to count. “Nothing’s happening between us. We live together and sometimes we have sex. It’s not a big deal.”

“That’s basically marriage.” 

“I don’t really know what your idea of marriage is, but I think it’s false.” Stan speaks up for the first time from his essay coma in the corner of the room. 

Richie’s phone buzzes with a text from Eddie, and he feels that pang in his chest again.

_ Why did like four music majors just start following me? _

_ Bc god hates me and im losing control of my life _

_ Did you tell them? _

_ Is it a secret? _

Those three dots pop up, and Richie thinks he might have an anxiety attack in the short span of time it takes Eddie to answer.

_ Depends. Is anyone cute there? _

Richie’s throat tightens up, feeling his chest swell with jealousy. He’s not the type to cry about a boy. But he’s never really been this involved with someone like Eddie.

_ Just me babycakes. _

_ Then no worries. _

They’re aiming questions in his direction, so fast it feels like he can’t even discern who’s asking them. For the most part, he answers. It’s not until he hears Bill’s voice that he really snaps out of this nightmare moment, realizing what an important milestone this is for his feelings.

“Do you like him?” Bill asks. “Like, being real?”

Richie takes a minute at that one. Does he? He looks down at his phone, where he’s pulled up Eddie’s Instagram himself to observe along with his friends. Richie’s featured three times. Once in the movie night picture, once in a picture of their room where he’s laying on his bed, and once as a joking post hashtagged “mcm”. 

“Jury’s out, Denbrough.” Richie shrugs. “I’ll let you know after some more deliberation.”

But Richie knows. It’s hit him like a train, the fluttery feeling he gets in his chest when he thinks about Eddie posting these pictures. It’s normal for roommates to have pictures of each other, but this is kicking up emotions that he didn’t know he was capable of having. 

When he gets back to their room, he takes a picture of Eddie leaned over his desk, standing with a pencil in his mouth.

“ _ Working hard,”  _ Richie captions it. The first picture he’s ever posted of Eddie.

Eddie laughs when he notices, later. “What’s this about?”

“You seem to have a fanbase now. I gotta give the public what they want.”

“This public wants your dick.” Eddie says. “If you could put the phone down.”

Richie kisses him a little sweeter, this time, wishing he could get this across just through the movement of his lips. He can’t bring himself to say it, hoping desperately that Eddie will somehow understand. He grabs him by the jaw, slowing him down, kissing deep instead of fast. 

“Kiss me like you hate me, Tozier.” Eddie says instead, words that would normally have Richie yanking down his jeans.

“If you insist.” Richie says, and Eddie probably can’t hear the disappointment in his tone.

For once, Richie is the one wanting more.

And it’s only reminding him of everything he can’t have.


End file.
